Procedure for Apostille of U.S. Marriage Certificate

The Apostille for U.S. marriage certificate is primarily utilized by couples who married in the U.S. and need the document upon returning to other country. They use the document for household registration, property transactions, spousal employment arrangements, divorce proceedings, visa extensions, and applying for long-term residency rights in other countries.

A Marriage License is a government-issued document that permits two individuals to apply for marriage. Typically acquired prior to the wedding ceremony, it involves adhering to specific legal procedures and requirements. Once obtained, it enables couples to proceed with their marriage within a designated timeframe, serving as a prerequisite for a legally recognized union.

In general, the steps to get married in the United States are as follows:

1.Visit the County Clerk’s office to register and obtain a Marriage License.
2.Within the specified timeframe, have a licensed officiant conduct the wedding ceremony and sign the Marriage License.
3.Return the signed Marriage License to the County Clerk’s office to formalize and legally recognize the marriage.

There are two approaches to authenticate a U.S. marriage certificate for Hague recognition. One option involves authenticating a copy of the marriage certificate, while the other requires authenticating the original document. Applicants have the flexibility to choose the method that best suits their individual circumstances.

Steps for Apostille on a Copy of the U.S. Marriage Certificate:

Steps: The U.S. marriage certificate undergoes notarization by a U.S. notary public.
The notarized copy of the marriage certificate is then submitted to the Secretary of State for apostille.

Processing time: The processing time is 2-3 business days, excluding shipping time.

Documents required for apostille:
1.Scanned copy of U.S. marriage certificate
2.Scanned copies of the photo page of both spouses’ passports

Steps for Apostille on the Original U.S. Marriage Certificate:

The authentication process may vary based on the issuing state. Generally, the original U.S. marriage certificate must be submitted to the Secretary of State in the issuing state for apostille.

Processing time：The processing time is 3-4 weeks, excluding shipping time.

Documents required for apostille:
1.The original U.S. marriage certificate
2.Scanned copies of the photo page of both spouses’ passports